The Resume

(March 9, 1975-October 8, 2007)
39 wins in 83 races
$6,591,860 career earnings
Twice named Eclipse Horse of the Year (1981, 1984)
Inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (1990)

Why he might be annoying:

John Callaway, who bought him for $1,100 as a yearling, said, 'He looked like a drowned rat with blood running off his forehead [from banging his head against the stall].'
He was named John Henry because his habit of ripping steel feed and water buckets off the wall and stamping them flat reminded Callaway of the steel-driving folk hero.
He was gelded, partly because of his temper, partly because his bloodlines were not considered very desirable.
He was undersized and back at the knee (a conformation flaw that usually makes a long racing career unlikely).

Why he might not be annoying:

He was the first unanimous winner of the Eclipse Horse of the Year (1981), a feat not equaled until the selection of American Pharoah in 2015.
He was the first racehorse to surpass $4 million in career earnings (1983).
He was one of the few animals to be named to People magazine's annual '25 Most Intriguing' list (1984).
He was considered one of the best come from behind racers of his day.
Regular jockey Chris McCarron described him as very smart, often saying 'I'm just along for the ride.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 93]
• Castrated
• Horse Faces
• Horses, Donkeys and Mules
• I Died in 2007 (Ranked: 32)
• I Died in My 30s (Ranked: 32)
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Menagerie of Animals
• People Magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People [1984]
• People with John or Mary in their Names
• Profiles 57501-57750 (Ranked: 57653)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying